How would you improve your local environment?

That's the question Central Office wants anyone with a video phone or digital camera to answer.  "Record a 30 second video clip answering the question: ‘How would you improve your local environment?" is the invitation on conservatives.com.  These clips will be edited together to produce three 'Personal Political Broadcasts'.  These open sourced PPBs will replace the usual Party Political Broadcasts with their political talking heads.  The Tories have an allocation of three broadcasts for the local elections and all three will be given over to the public. 

David Cameron said, "This is the first time this has been done in Britain. We want to encourage people from all walks of life to participate in politics and put the public at the centre of our politics.”  After yesterday's leaked news about open primary elections it really does look like the Tories are beginning to escape the top-down, we-know-best politics.   I would have preferred a more open question that would, perhaps, have encouraged perspectives on other local topics but this is a substantial step in the right direction...

Comments

[Buxtehude]

Well, there's something valuable here if they can sustain it and do it intelligently (not whimsically). Dabblers on the Internet have lots of bright ideas which don't follow through. If Cameron's people can get beyond that, and really learn about the process, it could be good.

I'm very glad to see them trying this, trying to address the way politics is done. I'm really rooting for them to stick with it, to work hard at it, to see it through, to make something long-term and meaningful out of it. They could be onto something good.

[Buxtehude]

For example, they should push this until they get contributions that are quirky, based on real experience, that challenge orthodoxy on both sides of the green debate. If it ends up being a handful of nice-looking people saying the usual guff, then people's natural (and justified) scepticism will be aroused. But if there's something risky in it, something that doesn't necessarily appeal to either Zac or Eric Forth, something out of the range of a BP feel-good ad, then it might work.

[Matthew Oxley]

Ah, like the Newsnight thing, seems a fair idea.

[Editor]

Exactly Matthew - another chance of fame for you!

[Howard Stevenson]

We might yet be regarded as a 21st century party. Bet Simon Heffer won't like it, so it must be a good idea.

Two good ideas in two days from Francis. What is the world coming to?

[matt wright]

Could be very good but must be done right or will come across as a gimmick,

Matt

[James Maskell]

Is this really that new...Whats the advert where the taxi driver and the man in the street are talking about re-usable energy being important to save the environment? Thats basically what this is. Nice gimmick Cameron but already done before. Its not a new thing.

[Andy Peterkin]

"How would you improve your local environment?"

Fund the construction of a new workhouse.

*ducks*

[Matthew Oxley]

It's like a Business, you don't always have to be the first, so long you do it well.

As for another chance of fame, well, If I did I'd use a proper camera this time.

[Richard]

"Fund the construction of a new workhouse."

Hear hear! Will keep the chavs off the streets.

[Serf]

I like the idea, but as Buxtehude says, it should be slightly quirky and not too slick.

[Richard Hyslop]

I heard on The Today Programme this morning an item about Caroline Jackson MEP attacking David Cameron's policy on the environment and suggesting that she did not think he was being genuine. I wonder if any action will be taken against her as this is the second time she has very publicly attacked Party policy.

[James Maskell]

How dare she disagree with a Party line...oh for Gods sake...if it was truly that way Id be out of his party in December.

[Goldie]

This is what the Yanks would call "inside baseball". Nobody cares.

Another day, another gimmick.